Turkey mainly, Iraq and the Kurds (2006-2014)

[Steve Blair]

I believe you are correct. There is a conflict between the Army, which sees itself as the guarantor of the modern secular state, founded by Ataturk and an Islamic inspired party in power.

This link to a BBC story describes the conflict:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6615627.stm

I think there have been some high profile murders there of journalists or writers, accused of insulting Turkey's honor. This is a crime in Turkey. I can't recall if the perpreators were Turkish nationalists or Islamic guerillas.
Here's a link to a story about this development:
http://regardlessoffrontiers.org/200...n-insult-laws/

I know the EU has balked on admitting Turkey into their union. At first I read that this angered the Turks, then later I read the Islamists there were praising it because they wanted nothing to do with uniting with a bunch of heathens, anyway.

Clearly, there is political unrest there. Would the Turkish army start a war with the Kurds to unify a divided country around an external enemy? Needless to say, this doesn't make things any easier for our efforts in Iraq.

Another possibility is that someone else is sparking the conflict to distract attention (both within the Turkish army and the country at large) from the political crisis. Who has the most to gain from such a distraction? That, of course, is my "black helicopter" look at it.

[wm]

Another possibility is that someone else is sparking the conflict to distract attention (both within the Turkish army and the country at large) from the political crisis. Who has the most to gain from such a distraction? That, of course, is my "black helicopter" look at it.

That was my point in the question I raised in post #8 to this thread.